Prism Preview: Heineken Transatlantic Festival

March 9, 2015

By admin

Drool-worthy beaches. Bi-polar yet seriously awesome weather. Traffic jams that need no hyphenated adjective. With these traits, we could be talking about virtually any coastal city in the tropical world (we’re looking at you, L.A.). So what is it about Miami that makes this city stand out? What makes it worth living in? What makes it really, truly, magical? One word: Culture.

Yup. In case you didn’t know it, Miami isn’t just known as “Magic City” by the cultures of the world. In fact, such a diverse and welcoming environment as Miami has been given the honorable moniker: “The Crossroads of America”. To pay tribute to its thriving creative environment, The Rhythm Foundation‘s Heineken Transatlantic Festival is embarking in its 13th year, and it’s the greatest one yet.

Exploring modern world music from the great cities of the Atlantic Rim and across the globe, Miami New Times’ “Best Festival” features artists working in the beautiful collision between traditional rhythms and Electronic Dance music culture. On April 10th & 11th, the North Beach Bandshell will be transformed into a sonic wonderland, where open ears and self-expression are mandatory accessories. As press partners, we’re sending you a little auditory preview of the festival, and keep your eyes locked for more announcements to come!

We’ll start local: My Deer and Bluejay will be representing the 305 on stage. The former, a home-grown “shuffle to your own beat” kind of vibe, complete with witty lyrics and whimsical sounds. The latter, a trio of seriously innovative artists who are glued together by addictive beats and a passionate atmosphere.

My Deer’s 2015 Teaser video.

Next we go South American. The festival has found a true Hip-Hop Soul wunderkind in the Chilean-bred Ana Tijoux, whose “funk face” inducing production is not an anomaly. She’s been named “South America’s answer to Lauryn Hill” by The New York Times, and was one of Rolling Stone’s top performances at SXSW. Definitely not to be missed. Then we have the infectious horn lines of Colombia’s Puerto Candelaria. A six-piece Funk outfit from Medellin, they have mastered traditional Colombian rhythms and blend them with everyday humor, for a set full of true, unadulterated joy.

Ana Tijoux – “Sacar La Voz”.

Finally, like most great decisions, the lineup rounds itself out in NYC. American Indie band and sibling duo, Wild Belle continues to prove that a shared love for music can strengthen any family.Their sound bridges nearly every musical genre: Soul, Jazz, Funk, African rhythms, Indie-Pop, and even Reggae using Elliot’s multi-instrumentality and Natalie’s hazy vocals. Sonic prodigies that they may be, the Brooklyn-based duo of Elliot and Natalie Bergman use their vast musical knowledge and fine-tuned technicality to hit every right note. Then comes Budos Band. One of Daptone Record’s most colorful acts, this NYC 10-piece band has joined the musical ranks of greats like Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires and Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings. These guys cover every sound imaginable,They have Heavy Metal guitar solos, 70s Funk/Disco grooves, and the illustrious beats of any true Hip-Hop track. Music lovers of all shapes and sizes welcome.

Wild Belle – “Another Girl”.

Seems like there’s something for everyone at this year’s Heineken Transatlantic Festival, so don’t be that guy who forgot to get a ticket. Just don’t.